The Historical Cathedral Building
The Historical Cathedral Building
Oakland's Cathedral Building goes upscale
MODEL HOME: Cathedral Building, Oakland
High-rise has condos atop six retail floors
December 14, 2008|By Valerie Fahey, Special to The Chronicle
The Oakland Federal Building, built in 1914, is located at intersection of two of Oakland's main thoroughfares: Broadway and Telegraph. The nearby downtown architecture, including City Hall, Old Oakland, The Rotunda, the former I. Magnin store, the Paramount Theatre and the Fox Theatre, evokes the glory days of Oakland's storied past.
This iconic Oakland high-rise has now been converted into full-floor luxury condominiums.
The Federal Realty Building was designed by architect Benjamin Geer McDougall. It was renamed the Cathedral Building in 1969 because of its churchlike spires and design.
Located in Oakland, California, the Cathedral Building, originally named the Federal Realty Building, was the first Gothic Revival style skyscraper west of the Mississippi River.[2] It is also called the "Wedding Cake" for its appearance, which resembles New York's Flatiron Building.[2] Its narrow, triangular form is a result of its location on Latham Square, where Telegraph Avenue branches off diagonally from Broadway. It was built by architect Benjamin Geer McDougall, who designed the steel framed building.[2] The building has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is currently owned by Brog Properties, a Downtown Oakland development firm. They are renovating the building for mixed residential and commercial units.[3]
[edit] References
1. a b c "National Register Information System: Impromptu Web Query" (database). National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. http://www.nr.nps.gov/iwisapi/explorer.dll?IWS_SCHEMA=NRIS1&IWS_LOGIN=1&IWS_REPORT=100000081. Retrieved 2008-09-21. [dead link]
2. a b c d Eve Mitchell (September 12, 2008). "Luxury condos rise in landmark Oakland skyscraper". Contra Costa Times. http://www.contracostatimes.com/business/ci_10450554.
3. www.insidebayarea.com/oaklandtribune/localnews/ci_10430041
2. This is Downtown Oakland’s most significant historical landmark office building featuring distinctive neo-gothic architecture completed in 1914. Located near Oakland City Center at Broadway and Telegraph with many retail opportunities and adjacent to Oakland’s Government Center. (federal, state, and city offices). Immediate access to both 12th Street and 19th Street BART stations plus numerous AC transit bus lines. Reinforced concrete and steel frame "flatiron" building with 12 floors and a basement retail unit. . Excellent full-floor views, abundant natural light, operable windows, new electrical, plumbing, ADA restrooms and life safety systems. Garage and surface parking nearby for employees and visitors. Ideally suited for attorneys, accountants, consultants, engineers, entrepreneurs, insurance agencies or nonprofit groups. The building is ADA compliant with seismic structural upgrades.
Renovation of the building into condo units was completed by the developer in the Q1 2009. It is a mixed use project with 1 large retail unit on the ground floor/basement, 5 office/commercial units on the next 5 floors and 7 residential units, most with commanding views and unique floor plans on the 7 upper floors.
